So why the shit are certain precincts now making you get in line and check in based on your party affiliation? Isn’t this shit supposed to be anonymous? I swear I don’t remember it being like this last time. Also, the really encouraging bit is that there were something like 412 lines for Republicans, 2 for Democrats and 1 for me: Other!
Seriously, though, I’m thinking they are doing something not quite legal by forcing you to indicate your affiliation. I’m admittedly too lazy to do the research, but I really thought the whole point of this voting thing was that while your vote counted, it was between you and the gov. Granted standing in a line doesn’t indicate who/what I’m voting for, but it certainly lets everyone make a snap judgment on what kind of person I am.
Anyway, keep an eye out when you go and let me know if they are doing the same at your polling place. Shit, comment either way as I’m just curious how many places are doing it this way now.
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15 Responses
bastards!
Dear Casey,
I had the most insane experience trying to vote this morning. My partner and I went to the downtown location where we have always voted. We were told that we had to go to our precinct location. Which happens to be a church on the southside. Having to say what party you are during check in - is absurd. What a scam! Our right to privacy is being abused. – And since when do I have to vote in a church ?… and have a massive painting of Jesus starring me down while I vote for government officials??! This really pisses me off! Now to the best part of my story. They couldn’t find my name or my partner’s name in any of the 12 or so spiral bound notebooks. So the supervisor starts filling out some long yellow form and placing phone calls. After about 20 minutes of us waiting… He finds my partners name in a book and he is able to cast his vote. But alas my name has somehow found it’s way into the independent book. I’m a registered Democrat damnit. So today, I was denied my right to vote. God Bless America!
Yay United States of Freedom!
My advice is to vote absentee. Request it online, shows up 2 days later, drop it off at the downtown voting office. Bonus: there’s a paper trail.
Absentee is where it’s at.
The entire system is archaic. Why should I have to vote absentee when I was there? Why can’t it be easy to cast a vote. I can’t believe it’s the year 2008 and this is the best we have. It’s shameful. Thanks for the advice on the absentee ballot.
I agree totally, the system is broken. Nobody should have to vote a certain way to make it work. But hey, look on the bright side — if we’re lucky we won’t have the major voter fraud that took place in 2000.
Oregon has been 100% vote-by-mail for several years now. This is mainly for the protection of the 27 remaining republicans, who feel deep and deserved shame, but who don’t realize that the Greens and Dems are better at Mr Finger than Mr Fist, and so pose no threat. The Libertarians are incapable of sensing anything beyond their own skins and thus will vote under any condition, up to and including race war and Second Coming.
Last time I checked… We live in Florida. Not Oregon. And 100% vote by mail seems pretty wasteful. I’m sure those Greenies are getting a mr finger or a mr fist over that one.
… Mr Finger… Mr Fist… who even talks like that??
And Floridians could never learn anything from others states, who have never single-handedly derailed entire national elections with their incompetency. What does vote-by-mail waste? Gasoline? No, that wouldn’t be it… Time… no, not that either… I’m stumped.
Who even talks like that? I don’t know. Who names himself “Thug”?
I think this whole OLPC thing was a bad idea.
Eh. I’m pretty sure that the voter roll is public record, but the system Pinellas has set up sounds fairly retarded. It seems like something we’d do over here in Tampa. I wouldn’t worry about being categorized by what line you stand in - most people can tell a douchebag on sight alone. The real issue is, since Florida has proven that voting is almost above our competence level as a state, I’m more worried about my vote actually being counted than what line I have to stand in.
I have to say, Oregon’s system has always intrigued me. Common sense says, to me anyway, that this would make their voter turnout much, much higher than ours. To me, that’s the bottom line: the percentage of people who vote in this country is pathetic and anything that can be done to increase it should be done.
Granted, powerful forces are happy with the low turnout or we would have fixed it by now.
@Shazaam - Good, sad, point there. We should probably make sure we can count votes accurately (and not, oh, remove thousands of people from the rolls for no reason) before we get too picky.
i’d imagine splitting the line would make it easier to meet and talk to cute Obama girls. PS: didn’t vote. whoops!
Okay Rock Stars - Florida is a closed primary state - and this was put into place by those Lovely 57 delegates we get at the National Convention Casue the Republicans don’t want the independants to be able to vote in the pramary (knowing they would sway demoncrate and the Dems don’t want any of their devoted libreals to drink the water down here and turn conservative.
So don’t blame the county- blame the party you are affiliated with (and if you are a dem - that failed you.) Oh, and what was with the F****ing Hilary Victory Speach last night - what a wanker! I will take your money, but not speak to any of you and since when I get the most votes in an unfair race based mostly on Name Recognition - I am going to do a victory dane though I did’t do poop to score the touchdown.
Up here at the ol’137 we had the same 2 lines for checking in. I dont like it neither, especially since I am a registered republican this time around. Never thought it would happen, but hey Ron Paul’s ma man!
Lemme see: I have to register to vote and have to predetermine my “party”
If I decide Im independent then both dirt bag parties call me non stop all day and I cant vote for or against any candidate of any party in the primaries.
If I vote absentee, they know what I voted as they open the envelope and then solicit me later.
So, my eventual choices and those of the rest of America are decided by 300 people in some distant snow covered state that has those 300 people and 3000 cows..nice
If we could have a write in vote, Im sure that millions would vote for Miss Piggy, oh wait a mo, thats Clinton isnt it? …ok, Elmo.
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